Atomizing oil burner of the high-low type



1949- H. o. GRIMMEISEN 2,458,372

ATOMIZING OIL BURNER OF THE HIGH'LOW TYPE Filed March 3, 1947 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 j v INVENTOR JZYRNA/Y Qemrrzuwv Jan. 4, 1949. H. o. GRIMMEISEN ATOMIZING OIL BURNER OF THE HIGH-LOW TYPE Filed March 3, 1947 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR filmy/m0. Gav/00215:

Jan. 4, 1949. H. o. GRIMMEISEN ATOMIZING OIL BURNER OF THE HIGH-LOW TYPE Filed March 3, 1947,

4 Sheets- Sheet 3 INVENTOR HEP/7.4 a GJMVMI/Jf/Y A O EYS Jan. 4, 1949. H. o. GRIMMEISEN ATOMIZING OIL BURNER OF THE HIGH-LOW -TYPE Filed March 3,,1947

4 Sheets-Sheet 4 N a w\ Patented Jan. 4, 1949 ATOMIZING OIL BURNER OF THE HIGH-LOW TYPE Herman 0. Grimmeisen, West Springfield, Mass., assignor to Gilbert & Barker Manufacturing Company, West Springfield, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application March 3, 1947, Serial No. 731,902 2 Claims. (Cl. 158-28) This invention relates to an improved gun type oil burner, which is adapted for heating houses and which has a plurality of nozzles to enable operation at difierent firing rates.

The invention has for one object to-provide in a burner of the type described two oil-atomizing nozzles, located in the air tube of the burner and arranged so that either one can be moved into a selected firing position, which is usually centrally of the air tube, and so that when one nozzle is moved into firing position the other is moved out of such position.

The invention has for another object to provide an arrangement such that, whenever either nozzle is moved out of its active or firing position into its inactive position, it is shielded from the heat of the burners flame to avoid carbonization of the oil in the idle nozzle.

The invention has for a further object to provide an interconnection between the means for shifting the nozzles into and out of firing position and the means for connecting the nozzles alternately with the oil pump, whereby when either nozzle is connected to the pump, it is automatically shifted into firing position and when either nozzle is disconnected from the pump, it is automatically shifted into inactive position.

The invention willbe disclosed with reference .to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a side elevational view of an oil burner embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is an end elevational View thereof with parts broken away to show interior construction; Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the valve which controls the supply of oil to the nozzles of the burner;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of one of the supports I for the nozzle supply pipes;

Fig. 5 is a planview, mostly in section taken through the median plane of the air tube of the burner and showing the mounting of the nozzles for movement into and out of firing position;

Fig. 6 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5 showing the high firing rate nozzle in firing position;

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 6 except that the low firing rate nozzle is shown in firing position;

Fig. 8 is a cross .sectional view taken on the line 8-8 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary sectional elevational view of the burner;

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary sectional plan view i1- lustrative of a modification;

Fig. 11 is an elevational view taken from the left hand end of Fig. 10;

thereto depending 2 Fig. 12 is a wiring diagram of the electrical connections for the burner; and I Fig. 13 is a diagram illustrative of a modification in the control shown in Fig. 12.

5 Referring to these drawings and first to Figs.

5 and 9 thereof, thepassage, through which all the air for combustion is supplied, is shown at I. The rear part of this passage is formed in the lower part 2 of the burner housing, which is suit- IO ably supported from the floor as by a pedestal shown in part at 2' in Fig. 1. The front part of the passage is formed in a sheet metal tube 3, secured at-one end to and projecting forwardly from part 2. Mounted near the outlet end of passage 15 I is an air director, or so-called turbulator 4,

having spiral vanes 5, which whirl the air before it is fed to the atomized oil. On the end of tube 3 is a cone 6 to turn the whirling air stream inwardly to mix with the spray of atomized oil.

Also mounted near the outlet end of passage I are two ignition electrodes 1 (Fig. 8), between which sparks are produced to ignite the combustible mixture of air and oil. The turbulator 4, electrodes 1 and cone 6 are designed to 00- operate with an oil nozzle which is located centrally or coaxially of the passage I.

In this burner, two oil-atomizing nozzles 8 and 9 are used, having respectively relatively high and relatively low firing rates. These nozzles are used alternately. Two rigid pipes I0 and II carry on their forward ends the nozzles 8 and 9, respectively, and their rear ends are connected by flexible pipes I2 and i3, respectively, to an oil supply pump as will later appear.

These pipes I0 and I I are carried by two turntables, consisting of circular disks I4 and I5, the former located near the front end and the latter located near the rear end of passage I. These turntables M and I5 have respectively fixed vertical shafts I6 and H, which are rotatably mounted in suitable supports I8 and I 9 respectively, in the passage I. Each pipe Ill and II is connected to both turntables. Each connection to a turntable consists of a block 20, (best shown in Fig. 4) having in one side face a U-shaped recess in which the pipe I 0 or II, as the case may be, is received and a plate 2! secured to block 20 by screw 22, whereby the block is rigidly clamped to its pipe. Each block has a stud 23 which passes through a. turntable, and a nut 24 for holding the stud and block against axial displacement. The pipes Ill and II are thus pivotally connected to the turntables I4 and I5 and act as links for connecting them together to turn in unison. Hence. when eral wall thereof (see also Fig. 8).

a-waava main parallel. The front turntable I4 is limited to an oscillatory movement of ninety degrees by means of a pin 25, fixed to and upstanding from support i3 and extending into an arcuate slot 23 in the front turntable l4. With the turntables at one extreme of their movement, the pipe III, which bears the high rate nozzle 3, is positioned I coaxlally of theair passage I and tube 3. The

other pipe H and the low rate nozzle 3 is located at one side of the tube 3 and close to the periph- If the turntables are turned clockwise ninety degrees, as viewed in Fig. 5, the pipe ill with the low rate nozzle 8 will be moved over to the other side of the air tube 3 and the pipe ll, bearing the low rate nozzle 3, will be positioned coaxially of the tube. These last named positions of the nozzles are shown in Fig. 7. In this way, either nozzle may be moved into centralized relation with the elements with which it has to cooperate, in order to operate in the best manner. The turntables may be turned by means of a crank arm 21 fixed on the lower end of the shaft ii of the rear tumtable i and located outside and beneath the housing part 2. This crank may be actuated in any desired way. In some cases, it will sufllce to actuate the crank by hand. In other cases it will be desired to actuate this crank automatically and preferably as the firing rate is changed, as will be later described in detail.

Preferably, each oil-atomizing nozzle, when moved into'its inactive position, is shielded from the heat of the burners flame to avoid carbonization of the body of oil, which remains stationary in the idle nozzle and in the immediately adja- .cent portion of the supply pipe therefor. One

good way of effecting this result is to make the air tube 3 of greater diameter in that portion, which lies back of the turbulator 4. than it is at the turbulator itself. A recess is thus formed of ample size to receive either nozzle and its pipe when moved to inactive position. As will be clear from Figs. 5 and 6, the nozzle 3 will be shielded by the annular wall 28 from the heat reflected back from the burner fire and the nozzle may thus be kept at a temperature low enou h to avoid carbonization of the oil therein. The other nozzle 8, when moved to inactive position, as shown in Fig. 7, will also be shielded by the wall 28 in the same way and for the same purpose. The idle nozzle is not only shielded from the heat reflected back from the fire produced by the burner but it is also located in the stream of air which flows through the passage i in order to help in keeping the temperature of the idle noz-.

zle and its feed pipe within sufliciently low limits for the purpose described.

In Figs. 10 and 11, I have indicated another way in which the inactive nozzle may be shielded. In this case, the airtube 3' is of uniform diameter and the inactive nozzle (the nozzle 3 as shown) is shielded by being located in back of one of the whirler vanes 5 of the turbulator 4. While this arrangement may be used to shield the inactive nozzle for the purpose above described. there may be some interference with the air flow to the turbulator although the nozzles and the outer end of their supporting pipes have been streamlined, as at 23. to reduce as much as possible any interference of this kind.

Referring now to the details of the exemplary burner, air for combustion is supplied y a $941 30 (Fig. 2) which is located within a housing 3i integral with housing 2 and which is driven by an electric motor 32 fixed to one end face of the fan housing 3|. The fan housing 3i has an inlet 33 in the opposite end face thereof and an outlet 34 (Fig. 3) opening into the passage i near the front end of part 2. Secured to the last-named face of the housing 3| is a U-shaped bracket 35, in the cross bar portion of which an oil pump 33 is supported with its drive shaft 31 connected to the motor shaft 32' through the intermediary of a speed-responsive clutch, the driving and driven elements of which are respectively indicated at 33 and 33. The driven member 33 preferably has fan blades 43 on its external periphery, which blades revolve in a central opening in an air control shutter 4|. This shutter is slidably mounted on a stud 42, fixed to the bracket 35, for movement toward and away from the air inlet 33. A screw 43 has a threaded engagement with the shutter 4i and has unthreaded end portions which are mounted for turning, as well as axial sliding movement, in bearings 44 and 45, provided in the bracket 35 and fan housing 3i, respectively. A spring 43, acting between the inner face of the cross bar portion of the bracket 35 and a Washer" pinned to the screw 43, tends to hold the head 48 of the screw 43 in engagement with the outer, face of the bracket. This engagement of head 43 and bracket 35 locates the screw 43 and shutter 41 in their low firing rate positions. The precision adjustment of the shutter for the low firing rate can be effected by turning the knurled head 43 of screw 43. The screw is shown in its high firing rate position, being held there by the forked upper end 43 of a lever 53, engaging a nut 5| on screw 43. The lever 53 is pivoted at 52 to a bracket 53 on housing 2 and has a fixed stroke. The high firing rate position of the air shutter may be adjusted by turning nut 5|, a lock nut 54 being provided to hold nut ii in adjusted position. The shutter 4!, its screw 43, the clutch elements 33 and 33, auxiliary fan 43 and most of pump 35 are usually concealed by a sheet metal housing 66, having adequate air inlet openings therein. The lever 49 enters this housing 63 through a slot in the lower part thereof.

The oil supply to the nozzles 3 and 3 is controlled by a two-way valve 55 (Fig. 3) rotatable in a casing 56 and flxed, as indicated in Fig. 2, to the lower face of bracket 53. The valve 55 has fixed thereto an arm 51 which carries a pin 53 engaged in a slot 53 in lever 53. The flexible pipes i2 and i3 (Fig. 5) for the high and low rate nozzles 3 and 3. respectively, extend out of the air passage i near its rear end through a recess formed in the cover 63, which closes the rear end of such passage, and then extend to the valve casing 53, as shown in Fig. -1. The pipes i2 and i3 (Fig. 3) connect with outlets 3i and 62, respectively, in valve casing 53. The oil pump 36 has a supply pipe 33 (Fig. 1), and an outlet pipe 34 (Fig. 2) which connects the oulet of the pump to the inlet 35 of casing 53. .Wlth the valve 55 positioned, as shown in Fig. 3, the high firing rate outlet 6! is connected to the inlet 35, and the low firing rate outlet 52 is cut off from inlet 35. Accordingly, the pump 33 will supply oil only to the high rate nozzle 3. When the lever 50 is moved clockwise, as viewed in Fig. 2 by means to be described, the valve 55 will be moved clockwise ninety degrees. as viewed in Fig. 3, to block oil the outlet 3! and to connect outlet 32 to the inlet tained in a casing 61 fixed, as indicated in Fig. 2,v

to the bracket 53. The plunger I58 of this solenoid has its outer end pivotally connected to lever 50 and moves the lever against the force of a spring 69, which tends to hold the lever in the high firing rate position illustrated. The stroke of plunger 68 is suitably limited, as by the pin 25 engaging the ends of slot 26 in turntable I4, see Fig. 5.

The lever 50 is also made to actuate the described nozzle-shifting crank arm 21. As shown, a link is connected at one end by a ball and socket joint to lever 50 and at the other end is pivotally connected to the free end of crank arm 21. It will be clear from Fig. 5 that, when the solenoid is energized to move lever 50 and shift the oil and air valves to their low firing rate positions, the turntables I 4 and I5 will be swung clockwise ninety degrees from the positions illustrated in Fig. 5 and the high rate nozzle 8 will be moved out of firing position into inactive and shielded position. At the same time, the low rate nozzle 9 will be moved from its inactive and shielded 'position into firing position. When the oil and air valves are subsequently shifted back to their high firing rate positions, the nozzle 9 will be moved back to the inactive and shielded position illustrated and the nozzle 8 will be moved back to the firing position illustrated.

The burner is arranged for intermittent operation under the control of a room thermostat switch 1|. The electrical connections are shown conventionally in Fig. 12. The room thermostat switch 1| is arranged to close on a demand for heat from the burner and close a low voltage circuit which is supplied from the secondary 12 of a transformer and which circuit includes a relay coil 13, the thermostat switch 1|, the secondary 12 and the wires 14, 15 and 16 that connect these elements in series. The primary 11 of this transformer is connected by wires 18 and 19 to supply wires 80 and 8|, respectively. The relay coil 13, when energized, operates a switch 82 to close a circuit to the motor 32 and to the ignition means. The motor circuit may be traced as follows, from supply wire 80, wire 83, switch 82,

wires 84 and 85, motor 32, and wire 86 back to supply wire 8|. The ignition electrodes 1 are connected by wires 81 and 88 to the secondary 89 of an ignition transformer, the primary 90 of which is connected by wires 9| and 92 to wires 85 i and 88 respectively, and thus in parallel with the motor 32 so as to be energized and deenergized simultaneously therewith.

The solenoid, which serves to shift the lever 50 and adapt the burner for operation at the low firing rate, is shown at 93. It may be controlled automatically or manually as desired. As an illustrative example of automatic control, a thermostat switch 94 is arranged in a circuit, which includes in series the solenoid 93 and the relay switch 82this circuit being traced as followsfrom supply wire 80, wire 83, switch 82, wires 84 and 95, thermostat switch 94, wire 96, solenoid 93 and wire 91 back to supply wire 8 I. This thermostat switch 94 may, for example, be responsive to outdoor temperature and arranged to close and open, when the outdoor temperature is respectively above or below some selected value, say

F. Then, when the relay switch 82 is closed by the room thermostat 1|, on a demand for heat from the burner, the solenoid 93 will be energized if the outdoor temperature is above 20 F. to shift the lever 50, valve 55, shutter 4|, and turntables I4 and I5 for low firing rate operation while if the outdoor temperature is below 20 F, the solenoid 93 will not be energized and the lever 50, valve 55, shutter 4| and turntables I4 and I5 will remain in their illustrated positions to adapt the burner for operation at the high firing rate. For manual control, a push button switch 98 (Fig. 13) may be substituted for the thermostat switch 94 and connected to the wires 95 and 96 so as to open or close the same circuit to the solenoid 93. This switch 98 may be located at any convenient point in one of the living rooms of the house and it will then enable the firing rate to be changed without going into the cellar to reach the burner. It is, however, obvious that the change over for low rate firing may be effected by means of a hand lever (not shown) located at the burner.

The nozzles 8 and 9, their turntables I4 and I5 and the ignition electrodes 1 are preferably mounted for convenient removal as one unit from the air passage I after the cover 60 has been removed. The support I0 for the front turntable I4 is formed as an integral and radially upstanding part of an annular ring; |0I (Fig. 8). This ring has two ears I02, projecting inwardly from it near its upper portion and receiving, one in each, insulator tubes I03, in which the ignition electrodes 1 are mounted. Each insulator I03 is suitably held in place in its ear I02,as by a set screw I04. The ring IOI has a. groove I05 in its lower portion to receive a spline I06 pressed upwardly from tube 3.. The engagement of this spline and groove holds ring IOI in proper angular position in tube 3 and yet enables axial separation of the ring and tube, when required. The front turntable support I8 is rigidly and integrally connected to the rear support I9 by a tie-bar portion I01. The housing 2 has a vertical slot I09 through it to permit the passage of shaft I1. The rear support I9 has an integral web I9, carrying on its lower end a rectangular part' I08,

the sides of which are slidably engaged, one in each of two grooves I09. formed in housing 2, one on each side of slot I09. The part I08 is held against longitudinal displacement in grooves I09 between the inner end wall of the grooves and the cover 60. The part by means of a cap screw I|0 (Fig. 9), applied as shown. Preliminary to' the removal of the unit, the cover 60 is removed, cap screw II 0 is loosened or removed, and the fiexible pipes I2 and I3 are disconnected from the pipes I0 and II, respectively. These pipes may be disconnected by unscrewing the inner couplings .I II and H2 (Fig. 5) or the outer couplings H3 and H4 on the pipes I2 and I3, Fig. 3, respectively. It is also necessary to disconnect the ignition wires (not shown) from the electrodes 1 and to disconnect link 10 from crank arm21, Then, by pulling axially outward on the rear support I9, the ,unit

I08 is also clamped in place trolled by suitable valves located within the easing H (Figs, 1 and 2), attached to the casing of pump 36. This oil pump and its pressure regulating valves may, for example, be constructed as disclosed in the Osborne patent No. 2,233,709, dated March 4, 1941, to which reference is made for a complete disclosure if necessary or desired.

The provision of the centrifugal clutch 38, 39 in the drive between the air fan 30 and oil pump 36 is desirable to avoid smoky operation during the starting and stopping intervals of operation of the burner for the reasons disclosed in Logan Patent No. 1,985,934, dated January 1, 1935. The provision of the auxiliary fan 40, rotatable in an additional air inlet, provided in shutter M, is also desirable as assisting in the object of avoiding smoky operation of the burner during the intervals aforesaid, for the reasons fully pointed out in the copending application of Joseph A. Logan, Serial No. 672,106, filed May 24,

1946, and owned by the assignee of the presentapplication.

In operation, under the control of a room as H, in the usual manner on a from the burner. Oil is emitted from one of the nozzles 8 or 9 according to the firing rate selected, and air is supplied to mix with oil at either a high or low rate, according to whether nozzle 8 or 9 is in operation. The combustible mixture is ignited by sparks produced between the electrodes 1 and the mixture burns and supplies heat to a heating apparatus. Operation of the burner continues until the demand for heatis satisfied, when the room thermostat 1i opens to stop the burner. This is the usual operation of a'burner of the general type disclosed.

An unusual feature of the burner is that its firing rate may be changed from a relatively low rate, suitable for use during the milder days of the heating season, to a relatively high rate, suitable for use during more severe days of the heating season. The change in firing rate may be made in any desired way. In some cases,- where a frequent change in the firing rate is not desired, the change may be effected manually. In other cases, where the firing rate is to be changed more frequently or where the owner does not care to bother to even think about making the change in firing rate, the change may be made automatically as for one, example, by the outdoor thermostat 94. In its best and most complete form, the change in rate of air fiow is made to occur automaticaly as the rate of oil fiow is changed and the nozzles 8 and 9 are automatically shifted into and out of firing position as the rate of oil and air flow is changed. However, in many cases, the manual operation of the nozzle-shifting means will suifice. For example, if the change in firing rate is to occur only a few times during the heating season, some owners might not object to shifting the nozzles manua ly and also operating the oil and air valves manually to change the firing rate. In the form disclosed, the air shutter, oil valve and nozzle-shifting means are all tied together so that movement of the burner is usually started up thermostat, such one member, for example, the lever 50, will effect all the changes-necessary.

The invention provides for either nozzle to be moved into centralized relation in the outlet end of the air tube 3 when firing, so that the spray of atomized oil emitted from the nozzle will be coaxial with the stream of air, which is whirled by the blades 5 of the turbuiator and which is the air control demand for heat 1 fed directly into the spray by the air cone 6. The oil spray may also be brought into the best position with relation to electrodes 1 for the ignition function. Besides enabling each nozzle to be moved into the best position, when it fires,

, the other and idle nozzle is so positioned that it is shielded from the heat reflected back from the fire produced by the burner to avoid subjecting the nozzle to intense heat which, acting on the stationary body of oil in the nozzle, might cause carbonization of the oil and stoppage of the nozzle.

l: claim: 1. In a gun type oil burner, having a tube through which air for combustion is delivered and an air director in said tube having vanes for whirling such air, two nozzles. having different firing rates, both nozzles being located in said tube and adapted to be used one at a time, oil supply means, valve means for connecting either nozzle to the oil supply means and disconnecting the other nozzle therefrom, each nozzle being shiftable in said tube from a firing position in which it lies coaxial with said air director to an inactive position in which it lies in back of one of the vanes of said air director and is shielded by such vane from heat refiected'back from the fire produced by the burner, and means operable as either nozzle is connected to the'oil supply means to shift such nozzle into firing position and operable as'either nozzle is disconnected from the oil supply means to shift such nozzle into inactive position. v

2. In a gun type burner, having an air supply fan and a tube through which air is delivered by the fan to the oil spray, two nozzles located in said tube and each operable to produce a spray of atomized oil but at different rates of flow, each nozzle being mounted in said tube for lateral shifting movement from a selected firing position in which it is located'substantially coaxially of said tube to an inactive position in which it is located near one side of the tube, oil supply means, valve means fonconnecting either nozzle to the oil supply means and disconnecting the other nozzle therefrom, means for varying the rate of air flow through said tube increasing or decreasing it accordingly as the nozzle having the higher or the lower firing rate is connected to the oil supply means, and means interconnected with said valve means and air-flow varying means and operable as either nozzle is connected to the oil supply means to move such nozzle into firing position and actuate the air flow varying means to change the rate of air flow to correspond with the rate of oil flow and operable as either nozzle is disconnected from the oil supply means to shift such nozzle into inactive position.

. HERMAN O. GRIMMEISEN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,941,411 Mulholland Dec. 26, 1933 2,315,412 Galumbeck Mar. 30, 1943 2,339,618 Crago Jan. 18, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 469,254 France May 15, 1914 

